Two-day ASMITA Rugby League-National for women in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Jan 30 (PTI) Over 300 players from 24 teams will be in action at the inaugural edition of the two-day ASMITA Rugby League-National for women starting Saturday at the Kalinga Stadium here.

The tournament is being held under the Sports Authority of India's ASMITA initiative, a flagship programme under the Khelo India scheme for women's sports. The Indian Rugby Football Union is organising it with the support of the Department of Sports and Youth Services (DSYS), Government of Odisha, and the Odisha Rugby Football Association.

The league marks the culmination of a six-month-long, multi-tiered competitive structure aimed at strengthening women's rugby pathways across the country.

The league will feature the top eight state teams, which have qualified through Rugby India's Senior, Junior (U18), and Sub-Junior (U15) National Rugby Sevens Championships (2025-26).

In total, 24 teams comprising 336 players and team officials will participate, making it one of the largest women's rugby events conducted in the country, the SAI said in a statement.

The SAI stated that during the current season, 49 city-level ASMITA leagues and two zonal leagues have been conducted across the country, with participation from over 8,771 athletes across 858 teams.

"ASMITA has emerged as one of the most impactful women's sports initiatives in the country. The scale of participation we've seen this year - from city leagues to zonal competitions; shows how deeply the programme is resonating on the ground," Rahul Bose, President of the Indian Rugby Football Union, said. PTI PM PM AH AH